HPV question

[pete89]

I have a situation I just need to clear up, I have spoken to doctors and feel pretty sure of this situation although I have just one more question.

 

since hpv is so common there seems to be so much false information going around about it so i would be happy if you only answer if you know for sure.

 

my situation is, my girlfriend had told me in the past she found out she had high risk hpv, she had surgury to remove it a little over two years ago. we have been together for about 6 months so she has had routine pap tests done coming up with no signs left of hpv, so i was never sexually active with her when she had signs of it.

 

the doctor told her it was gone at this point and she just had to keep getting her routine pap tests. now when i spoke to her about this i heard that since hpv is a virus from what i know its never actually "gone"

 

so when she asked the doctor about this he said i was correct to a point, he said that it can be in remission and come back.

 

so my question is, can hpv be transmitted when no signs show up on a pap test?

 

in other words, does it have to be come active again, and does she have to currently show signs of the virus for me to be able to contract it?

 

or is it possible that she can still transmitt it to me when no signs show up?

[Day_Walker]

Yes high risk hpv can be transmitted when there are no current indicators that it is active. As of the last time that I checked there were no tests to determine if men had high risk hpv.

 

If you have had unprotected sex with her during the previous two years odds are that you have hpv as well.

[greywolf]

I always thought that the body could eventually get rid of HPV. Maybe someone can clear this up.

[alli]

I always thought that the body could eventually get rid of HPV. Maybe someone can clear this up.

 

It can decrease to levels in the body that are indetectable. They don't say it COMPLETELY goes away (though maybe it does? I don't think they know for sure), over time it can clear up so well that it's no longer detectable in the body.

 

I've never heard of hpv going into "remission" and coming back, but I'm not a Doctor. Most cases of hpv clear up on their own, though it is important to monitor it if you do test positive in case it does develop further.

[pinkelephant]

ya, i've heard about that. like viruses don't ever "go away"... but then i've been hearing about people having a non-detectable levels... so what happens to these viruses? where's all the bio majors?!

[Shortpants]

I actually tested positive for HPV in my early 20's, more testing concluded it was actually pre-cancerous cells. Had a colposcopy and 3 LEEP proceedures to remove the cells from my cervix. Had follow up pap tests every 3 months for 2 years after the last LEEP to make sure all tests were clean. I'm now almost 40, do annual paps, and have never had another abnormal test or any sign of pre-cancerous cells or HPV. I pretty much consider myself "cured" as I have never had an acutal breakout of the "warts", although that is the scariest thing about HPV, is many people never know they have it as some folks never have symptoms. Thus is has become one of the most common STDs out there, and lots of people never know they have it.

 

I found some answers on this website: link removed

 

What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?

Human papillomavirus (pap-uh-LOH-muh-veye-ruhss), or HPV, is the name for a group of viruses that includes more than 100 types. More than 40 types of HPV can be passed through sexual contact.

 

The types of HPV that infect the genital area are called genital HPV. Over half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives. But most people never know it. This is because HPV most often has no symptoms and goes away on its own.

 

What is the difference between the high-risk and low-risk types of HPV?

Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer. These types of HPV are called high-risk. Having high-risk HPV is not the same as having cervical cancer. But high-risk HPV can lead to cancer. Most often, high-risk HPV causes no health problems and goes away on its own. High-risk HPV cases that don’t go away are the biggest risk factor for cervical cancer. If you have high-risk HPV, your doctor can look for changes on your cervix during Pap tests. Changes can be treated to try to prevent cervical cancer. Be sure to have regular Pap tests so changes can be found early.

 

Low-risk HPV can cause genital warts. Warts can form weeks, months, or years after sexual contact with an infected person. In women genital warts can grow:

•Inside and around the outside of the vagina

•On the vulva ("lips" or opening to the vagina), cervix, or groin

•In or around the anus

In men, genital warts can grow:

 

•On the penis

•On the scrotum, thigh, or groin

•In or around the anus

Rarely, genital warts grow in the mouth or throat of a person who had oral sex with an infected person.

 

The size of genital warts varies. Some are so small you can't see them. They can be flat and flesh-colored or look bumpy like cauliflower. They often form in clusters or groups. They may itch, burn, or cause discomfort.

 

Low-risk HPV doesn’t always cause warts. In fact, most people with low-risk HPV never know they are infected. This is because they don't get warts or any other symptoms

 

How do I know if I have an HPV infection?

Most women who have HPV infections never know it. This is one reason why you need regular Pap tests. A Pap test is when a cell sample is taken from your cervix and looked at with a microscope.

 

A Pap test can find changes on the cervix caused by HPV. To do a Pap test, your doctor will use a small brush to take cells from your cervix. It’s simple, fast, and the best way to find out if your cervix is healthy.

 

If you are age 30 or older, your doctor may also do an HPV test with your Pap test. This is a DNA test that detects most of the high-risk types of HPV. It helps with cervical cancer screening. If you’re younger than 30 years old and have had an abnormal Pap test result, your doctor may give you an HPV test. This test will show if HPV caused the abnormal cells on your cervix.

 

One other way to tell if you have an HPV infection is if you have genital warts.

 

Could I have HPV even if my Pap test was normal?

Yes. You can have HPV but still have a normal Pap test. Changes on your cervix may not show up right away; or they may never appear. For women older than 30 who get an HPV test and a Pap test, a negative result on both the Pap and HPV tests means no cervical changes or HPV were found on the cervix. This means you have a very low chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years.

 

Can HPV be treated?

No. There is no treatment or cure for HPV. But there are treatments for the changes HPV can cause on the cervix. Genital warts can also be treated.

 

If I had HPV that went away on its own, can I get it again?

Yes. There are many types of HPV, so you can get HPV again.

 

How do I protect my partner from HPV after my warts have gone away?

Even if you think the warts have gone away, there may be some you can’t see. And even after the warts are treated, the HPV virus may remain. Using condoms may reduce your risk of passing on genital warts.

 

Hope that answers some questions!